The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Tuesday
the extension of the moratorium on evictions in the areas most affected by COVID-19 in
the country.
The pause to evictions will last until October 3.
Protection against eviction for non-payment of rent will be provided to tenants residing in communities that have experienced "high and substantial levels of intra-community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus," the agency said in a statement.
Sources consulted by Telemundo explained that
this could represent up to 90% of the country
.
States with the least protections for tenants are also where infections and deaths from the virus are rising the most due to the delta variant.
Many of these areas are Latino and black communities, who are most evicted from their homes, before and during the pandemic, according to data from the Eviction Lab, a research laboratory at Princeton University.
[I have not been able to pay the rent, what can I do now? We answer questions about the end of the moratorium on evictions]
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky made the announcement after pressure from House Democrats, three people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
"We're Going Bankrupt": Latino Homeowners React to End of Eviction Moratorium
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Pressure from Congress intensified in recent days after a nationwide moratorium on evictions created by the CDC expired on July 31.
The Biden Administration had insisted that it did not have the legal authority to renew the program, as the Supreme Court ruled on the matter months ago.
The explosive delta variant, however, renewed the concern of both experts and the White House about the impact of millions of evictions being reactivated at the same time throughout the country.
That would lead many to have to crowd with other families, friends, in shelters, or even sleep on the street,
situations conducive to the spread of the virus.
Some states extend the moratorium on evictions that expires this Saturday
July 30, 202101: 26
It remains to be seen whether the measure will pass Supreme Court scrutiny.
"We spoke with legal experts to find the best way to do this," Biden responded during a press conference at the White House on Tuesday, "and see what can be done that is more likely to meet constitutional requirements."
"I am not going to tell the health authorities what to do," added the president.
"By the time this goes to litigation we will have been able to distribute the funds to those who are behind in rent. That was approved, that money got to the states. We had the impression that they were distributing this well."
There are
billions of dollars in federal financial aid to pay the rent
administered by states, counties, and cities.
People who are at risk of being evicted or who have received an eviction notice from their landlord also have the right to defend their case in court with an attorney.
